


The Beng

by kattahj



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Backstory, Character Study, Gen, Role-Playing Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-30
Updated: 2008-01-30
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kattahj/pseuds/kattahj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt is hurt by something a little girl says.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beng

**Author's Note:**

> Audition for the X-Factor 2010 RPG.

"They're here!" Jimaine shouted outside the tent, and stuck her head in to shout it again. Kurt lowered himself slowly from the trapeze, grateful for the interruption. He gave Margali a questioning glance.

"Not bad," she said. "You can leave. We will continue tomorrow."

He would have hurried outside, as excited as his sister, if he hadn't been so tired. Margali pushed him [i]hard[/i]. Harder than any of the other children – but then, he was _better_ than any of the other children, and if she kept pushing him like this he might end up better than the adults as well.

His muscles aching, he moved somewhat slower, and Jimaine was already finishing the row of hugs by the time he reached the newcomers - a man, two women and five children of various ages.

"Sar'shan, Kako Ivan?" he greeted the man, who laughed and embraced him.

"Sar'shan, Kurt – my God, how you have grown!" Ivan held Kurt at arm's length and scrutinized him. "You and Jimaine remind me of just how fast time goes by. Which reminds me -- Tatyana! Where's Tatyana?"

A toddler girl stepped forward from where she had been hiding behind the women's large dresses. She was almost impossibly cute and looked up at Kurt shyly with her black eyes.

"Meet your new vitsa, Kurt," Ivan said proudly.

Kurt smiled at the little girl and crouched down in front of her. He'd always been very fond of small children. "Sar'shan, Tatyana?"

Tatyana at Kurt with friendly interest, but didn't smile back until she caught sight of something. Quickly, she moved one chubby hand and caught the tip of Kurt's tail, laughing.

Kurt guffawed, moving his tail a little to please the girl. "Yes, it's quite something, isn't it?"

The girl looked up at her father, delighted. "Beng, dadro! Beng!"

Kurt's laughter died away, and he stood up quickly, leaving the girl and his other relatives behind as he hurried to his vardo, hoping he'd reach it before he started crying.

That adorable little girl had just called him a devil.

He _did_ manage to reach the vardo in time, and threw himself down on his bed, burying his head in the pillow. "Scheisse," he cursed, resorting to German as he often did when he was upset. "Scheisse, scheisse, scheisse..."

The door slammed and he winced, but didn't raise his head.

"What is this? Why are you lying here instead of playing with your cousins?"

"She called me a beng," he mumbled into his pillow.

"What did you say?"

"She called me a beng," he said, raising his head at last.

He saw no suprise in Margali's face. "Yes, she did. And she was very upset to see her beng go."

There was something she wanted from him, but he wasn't sure what. "I'm not a beng."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you ashamed of yourself, Kurt?"

"No. But I'm just a boy, not a beng."

"You're not a nightcrawler either. What difference does it make? They cheer you on."

"You don't understand, it's..." But his protest died away, because after all the insults thrown at her, of course she understood. "It makes a difference."

"It does not. Go out and play with your cousins."

There was no arguing with her. He stood up, slowly, and headed for the door. As he passed her in the doorway, her hand touched his cheek, and he stopped, suprised at the unexpected caress.

"You bring down the house, chikno," she said softly.

He smiled at her, a genuine smile, because it was true.


End file.
